Typography

Letters and words are key elements in visual communications. Designers use letters and words to communicate both verbally and visually.

Letters

Typefaces can be grouped together into families, based on shared structural features. Within these families are fonts, which contain all the letters, numbers, and punctuation marks for the particular set. Variations include italic and bold. Letters are used as identity marks for companies. A lettermark is an identity mark using the initials of a company or organization. A logotype involves the whole name.

Words

As groupings of letters, words are more complex than individual characters. Words can be broken into individual letters and designed using typographic variation, where each letter has its own characteristics. To create the proper visual effect within a group of words, the size, leading, kerning, and tracking can be manipulated.

1. Terms-
1. Typeface: the design of a single set of letterforms, numerals and punctuation marks unified by consistent visual properties
2. Type style: modifications in a typeface that create variety
3. Type family: range of style variations based on a typeface design
4. Type font: complete set of letterforms, numerals, punctuation marks that will work with keystrokes on a computer
5. Letterform: style and form of each individual letter in the alphabet
6. Character: individual letterform
7. Lowercase: Smaller letters
8. Uppercase: larger letters
9. Point size: unit for measuring the height of type and vertical distance between lines of type
10. Line length: horizontal length of line of type, traditionally measured in picas
11. Leading: amount of space between lines of type, measured in points
12. Letter-spacing: distance between characters in a word or number and between words and punctuation
13. Text typefaces: used where legibility is an issue, typically, for small print and long passages of text
14. Display typefaces: used where projecting a mood or attitude is important, typically for names, logos, titles and other short passages of text
15. Serif: a cut or flourish on the end of a letter
16. San Serif: without serif or without flourish

Things to keep in mind

Typefaces that are too heavy or too light may be hard to read
Typefaces with too much thick/thin contrast may be hard to read
Condensed or expanded letters are more difficult to read
Larger sizes require tighter spacing than smaller letters
In both display and text sizes, typeset in all capitals is generally more difficult to read
Below are some examples of common typesets

Concordant:

This is the relationship that is present when one kind of type family is used and only has small variations such as weight, style, etc. This keeps a page united and gives it a quieter formal look. It also kind of arranges the pages automatically. This means that it must be used with the proper audience in mind. If one knows who they are addressing then the concord method can be very effective.

Conflicting:

This is the relationship that is present when different kinds of types that have similar style, size, and weight are combined. This gives and interesting look because things aren't really different in the type, but they really aren't the same. This is a problem in may typed products. The problem is not that they are different, but they are not different enough. The type ends up looking like a mistake rather then a bold move or a classy choice.

Contrasting:

This is the relationship that is present when a combination of very different typefaces and elements that are obviously independent of one another. Contrasting thing helps to emphasize the quality found in elements or typeface. By making stark opposition one notices really how good something else is. This is a great tool to catch someone’s attention or to guide their eyes and they look at a product.

A few words about contrasting with type: USE PLENTY OF IT! When it comes to designing with type a good sense of contrast can make a big difference. Using contrast will help to make your pages look more sophisticated and complete. You as a designer will seem totally confident and in control. There are three main types of contrast can be used with fonts and types. These types are size, weight, and color.

Here is a good tip: When a sentence or paragraph must have a lot of emphasized words in it, consider using italic rather than bold. Many bolded words in a sentence or paragraph result in a spotted, unbalanced look, whereas italics blend in better while still emphasizing the information. Italics are also read as the “spoken word” and convey a personal approach. A graphic rule of thumb is to avoid using italic type for more than six lines of type. Line after line of “urgent” italic type fatigues the reader.

It is important to keep your typeface as simple as possible. The words on your design pages need to be as legible and readable as possible. Also, make sure you SPELL CHECK YOUR PAGE!

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